37. The Homecoming Game
The Homecoming Game
Harper
Ashley focuses on me. She cocks her head and narrows her eyes.
Kenz, Penny, and I wait. Is she aware we were eavesdropping?
Are we caught? I don’t get butterflies rioting in my stomach about it.
If they didn’t want to be heard, they shouldn’t have been talking in the locker room without checking for other people.
“She’s delusional.” Ashley’s dark eyes flash.
She’s not here for a fight. At least not with me this time. Sidney. She’s becoming more of a problem, and if we don’t take her down soon, she’ll destroy everything around her. Especially me.
“You’re not wrong.” I stand and face her. If I’ve learned one thing from the guys, it’s to stand up for myself and not let anyone run over me, including them.
Ashley looks toward the door before walking into our aisle. “You shouldn’t be here. You’re just an easy target for Zach and his guys.”
“The locker room?” My gaze goes to Kenz and Penny, who shrug like they aren’t sure what she means either.
“No, this game. The dance. The whole thing.” Ashley drops her arms. “Zach and his friends are not good guys. There’s a reason we clung to the horsemen. Yeah, they’re assholes, but at the end of the day, they’re still good guys.”
“There’s nothing I can do about it.” I inhale. “I’ve got a target on me, whether it’s tonight or tomorrow or next week. And Zach is determined to keep it on me until we find a way to take him down.”
Ashley breathes out. “Don’t fuck this up for them.”
What does she mean... “Them?”
“The horsemen are on a path. Right now, they could become great men, but one false step and they’ll get trapped in this city.
” Ashley glances over her shoulder before returning her gaze to mine.
“You may not believe me, but we’re friends with those guys and were privy to more than most. Their plan to get out of here isn’t widely known, but I know it.
We all have the same goal, but this town has a way of sucking you back in. ”
She’s not my friend, but right now, she’s maybe acting like it.
“Why are you telling me this?”
She rolls her eyes. “Because you’re important to them. Fuck if I know why.”
I press my lips together. Still not my friend. Got it.
“I’m on your side. At least on Eli’s side. Okay?” Ashley turns to look when some lockers shut. She moves closer and whispers, “Shit goes down and I can help in any way, I will. Just try to be aware and not be the stupid chick who traps herself.”
She narrows her eyes on mine and searches them. I refuse to flinch. I’ve gotten trapped before and got lucky. Don’t do stupid shit.
“Got it?”
I nod. If she came at me all friendly like, I would have doubted every word out of her mouth. But that’s not what’s happening here. She’s not offering to be my friend. She just knows this situation might escalate beyond us.
“Honestly, I hope Sidney loses tonight.” Ashley smirks. “She tried to rig the votes, but the teachers wouldn’t let her near the ballot boxes. If I didn’t think she’d shred you to pieces, I’d say I hope you win.”
“Thank you.” The words are quiet and only for her. I’m grateful to have her support in whatever way.
She glances at Kenz and Penny. Her eyes stop on Penny. “Your friend is in William Foster’s pocket. You know that, right?”
Penny gasps and steps back.
Ashley rolls her eyes. “For fuck’s sake, are you guys just Scooby Dooing this shit? Victoria Martinez. Her mom works for my dad. My dad works with William Foster. Her mom tells my dad all this shit about you. When I was younger, I didn’t understand why.”
Ashley shrugs, like it isn’t a big deal that one of Penny’s best friends reports to her father.
“Honestly, I’m surprised the guys haven’t caught on.”
“Eli told me one of them is probably in my father’s pocket.” Penny is pale, but she doesn’t let any emotion slip through.
Ashley smiles. “Good. Use that information. Don’t go all ballistic on your spy because you don’t know what William Foster has on her or her parents.
People rarely do something for William Foster out of the kindness of their hearts.
But you can feed him what you need to instead of letting her pick and choose. ”
Ashley’s dark eyes fall on Kenz. I swallow. My heart skips a beat as I worry she’s going to tell me the same thing about Kenz.
“Keep being a bad ass bitch.” Ashley taps Kenz on the shoulder. “We need more of your kind in this school.”
Kenz straightens and totally preens under the praise.
“Don’t fuck up.” Ashley meets my eyes and then turns and walks away without a backward glance.
Nico
We’re huddled up, getting ready to head out to the field. “We’re winners and what do we do?” Coach shouts at my teammates.
“Win!” we all yell back.
It’s odd sitting on the bench while everyone gears up for the game. To know I’m going out there with them and have on my jersey, but I’m not really part of the team. I’m just a glorified benchwarmer.
Eli puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes.
This fucking sucks.
“Who’s gonna win?” Coach yells.
“The Mustangs!”
“Who?”
“The Mustangs!” Some guys bang on the locker as everyone gets riled up.
“Give them hell!”
“Mustangs rule!”
Everyone filters out of the locker room, ready to crush this game. Eli hands me my crutches.
“You’ll go down with her before halftime.” Eli searches my eyes. “You good? Not high on pain meds.”
“Unless I can get high on Advil, no.” I didn’t like the way the drugs made me feel and haven’t been on them since right after surgery.
He walks with me behind the rest of the team. Harper and Kenz are leaning against the lockers near the door to the girls’ locker room. Harper smiles when she sees us and hugs Kenz quickly before falling in step beside us.
Luke’s jersey looks good on her with those tight jeans. I can’t wait until I’m off these crutches and can wrap my arm around my girl.
Tonight is about eliminating any risk of someone finding her alone. Which means she’ll always have someone with her.
Eli tugs on her ponytail. “Any issues?”
She shakes her head. “Overheard Sidney mouthing off, but nothing new.”
“You remember the plan?” he asks.
Her dark eyes meet mine. “Nico walks me to the locker room where Kenz and Penny will be to help make sure nothing happens while I get ready.”
“Don’t go anywhere without someone. Not even to the bathroom.” Eli’s voice is almost drowned out by the roar of the crowd as the others make it onto the field.
“Yes, sir.” She salutes him with a quirky smile.
“I’m going to punish you later for that, kitten.” He smirks at her before he jogs out to the field.
“I’m going to enjoy that,” she says softly as she steps closer to me.
I chuckle. “We’re all worried about you. The plan is to catch Zach in the act of coming after you. Not actually let him get ahold of you.”
She shivers and flashes me an uncertain smile. “I really don’t want that.”
None of us do. We walk out onto the track and cross to the football field. The cheerleaders are running off the field after all the players crashed through their paper. Sidney smirks at Harper like she knows something.
I’m tempted to trip her with my crutch. It would be juvenile but satisfying. Harper doesn’t seem to notice Sidney though. Her eyes are on the guys out on the field beginning warm-ups.
“Do you like doing the stats?” I ask as we make our way to the bench.
“Honestly?” She looks up at me through her lashes, and my heart throbs.
I swallow. Fuck, I’m in deep with this girl. “Yeah, honestly.”
She blows out a breath and looks back toward the stands. “I’m pretty sure they don’t do anything with this.”
She holds out the clipboard.
A chuckle escapes me. “Does it matter?”
“No.” She smiles. “I like being down here with you guys and paying attention to the game in a way I’ve never done before.”
I settle on the end of the bench and lean my crutches beside it. She looks out over the field, and I wish I was out there to show off for her.
“I miss watching you.” Her words are soft, but they settle in my heart. “Both you and Eli are perfect for what you do. There’s a grace and elegance I never really picked up on before when I watched the game.”
Her dark eyes meet mine. Her cheeks are flushed from the slight chill in the air. The stands are filled with fans, but the sounds of the carnival aren’t far away. The whole stadium is pulsing with energy.
Alumni fill the stands including our fathers. Well, except Caden’s.
I came back here to be a part of this. And in a way I still am, but I’m not out on the field. The ball won’t float into my hands. I won’t score anymore touchdowns in high school.
This is where I’ll remain for the season. Cheering on my friends while I do my best to heal. Work with my PTs to make sure I can play safely in the fall, but my season is over.
Next year, I want to still be playing with my friends in college. Though it may only be some of us, depending on where we go. We’ll never be quite like this again.
A few of the other guys who ride the bench come off the field after warm-ups. Fucking Ethan Parker gives me the stink eye before sitting on the opposite end of the bench. His gaze doesn’t even flit to Harper.
I may have been hesitant to hurt a girl, even Sidney, but him? Fuck that guy.
Everyone runs off the field and stands waiting for the game to begin. Luke and Caden go out to the coin toss, and the whole crowd holds their breaths as the coin falls. The referee shows possession to the Mustangs to start.
The way we’re riled up. This game is going to be brutal.
Harper
Would I be considered a chicken if I covered my eyes? I swallow as bodies crash against each other and tumble in a heap on the ground. Every time Eli or Luke are tackled, fear floods my gut.
I’m not built to watch my men get their asses handed to them. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often. Not with Caden and Jack standing in the opponents’ way.
The first quarter sped by, and now we’re creeping up on the time I have to go change for the halftime. I don’t dare look up in the stands where Zach is probably waiting, watching.
Sidney’s words play like a fucking catchy tune over and over in my head. Broken. Humiliated. There have been a few times I considered sending the videos to the college she wants to go to, but I can’t take away someone’s future. Even if she’s coming for mine.
Maybe that makes me weak. Maybe that means she’ll win because she isn’t afraid to do her worst. But I know that even if she wins this war, she won’t ever win Luke.
Luke runs off the field with the offensive line. He pulls his helmet off and shakes his head, making his sweat-soaked hair whip around his face. I want to rush over to him and brush it back off his cheeks, but instead I turn my attention back to the game.
I have a job to do.
“It’s time, Davidson.” Assistant Coach Turner stops beside me and holds Nico’s crutches for him. “You run into any troubles, let me know.”
He studies me with concern in his eyes, and not for the first time, I can see why Jack liked him. He seems like a genuine guy.
I nod.
Nico takes the crutches, and I move next to him. I turn to meet each of my guy’s eyes. Luke gives me a nod. Eli narrows his eyes. Jack smiles. And Caden... Caden’s green eyes meet mine, and I know if anything happens, he’ll find me.
But nothing is going to happen because Nico is with me.
We make our way past the cheerleaders. Emma, Ashley, and Sidney fall in behind us.
“You afraid you can’t find your way to the locker room, pet?” Sidney taunts. “Or can you just not be far away from one of your dicks for that long?”
Nico shakes his head, but we both just walk, ignoring the jeer. If that’s the worse she has, I’ll take it.
We cross the parking lot, and I glance back at the stadium, lit up for the game. The roar of the crowd reaches all the way over here, but it’s not as loud. More like an afterthought.
I drag in a breath and open the door to the school, holding it for the girls to go in and then Nico. The doors close on us with a finality that shakes me to my core. Kenz smiles as she joins me and Nico.
“You ready to win Homecoming?” She links her arm with mine.
“Trying not to puke.” My stomach churns.
“That’s the spirit.”